This course will engage students with a global approach to ancient history, following the development of human societies across the globe from the Paleolithic Era to the rise of Islam in the seventh century CE. It focuses on the political, economic, social, religious and cultural development of the world and investigates the first Asian, African and European civilizations, as well as the tensions and transformations in these civilizations. It will also attempt to assess the development of the academic field of Ancient History, and its traditional focus on Greece and Rome.